by David Gergen
First published 2019
Crisis strikes without warning in the modern world. Leaders suddenly face impossible choices with lives and organizations hanging in the balance. The National Preparedness Leadership Initiative faculty at Harvard University studied how the best leaders respond when everything goes wrong. They followed decision makers through the Boston Marathon bombings, the H1N1 pandemic, the Deepwater Horizon disaster, and the catastrophic 2017 hurricane season. The researchers also examined leadership inside major corporations, startup companies, and nonprofit organizations during their most challenging moments. Their findings reveal practical methods for navigating complex problems and driving organizational change. The book provides concrete tools leaders can practice before crisis hits. Real stories from recent disasters show how adaptive leadership works under extreme pressure. Gergen and his colleagues offer a blueprint for anyone who must guide teams through uncertainty and transformation.
Genres: business, leadership, non-fiction, organizational-culture
Vibes: informative, practical, thought-provoking
Tropes: problem-solving, real-life-stories
Setting: Boston, Harvard University
Period: 21st-century
Audio CD · Public Affairs